Accessing the Layer Styles

In Photoshop, there are often many ways to access the same option, command, or feature. Often, it’s just a matter of habit or preference; go with whichever way feels right to you.

The Layer Styles feature, for example, can be accessed in several ways.

Select the Background layer, then press the Layer Style icon, found at the bottom of the Layers palette. A drop-down menu displays, as shown in figure. This drop-down menu contains the various styles you can apply to your layer.

You can select individual style options from this menu or choose the Blending Options item from this drop-down menu. Selecting Blending Options displays the Layer Style dialog box, as shown in figure below. The Layer Style dialog box gives you access to all layer styles at once.

Tip

You can also access the Layer Style dialog box a couple other ways. For all methods, you’ll first need to select the layer to which you wish to add a style.
An alternative method involves right-clicking on the layer to which you wish to add a style. A submenu displays. Select Blending Options from this submenu to display the Layer Style dialog box.

Using the Blending Options

Notice the 10 different options you can add to your layers. These options appear on the left side of the Layer Style dialog box as check boxes. These are the same layer styles displayed when you clicked the Layer Style icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Move the Layer Style dialog box over on your screen so you can see your Bing logo file. Click on a few blending option items to see what happens.

Once you’ve seen some of the different blending options, uncheck any boxes you’ve checked. It’s time to get to work.

Check the Bevel and Emboss check box. You’ll notice the background now has a rounded, 3D edge to it. Notice, however, that the edge gets in the way of our text. Let’s change the angle of the bevel and emboss.

Changing Blending Options Setting

Click on the Bevel and Emboss text label. The right side of the Layer Style dialog box now displays additional bevel and emboss options.

Note:

You can access more settings for all these blending options in this same manner - by clicking the option’s text label.

In the Shading section, change the angle to 60º, as shown in figure below. Then press OK. Notice the bevel and emboss angle effect on your logo changes.

Let’s change some blending option settings associated with your other layers. Perform the following steps

Select the Co. Name layer. Right-click in this layer and choose Blending Options to access the Layer Style dialog box.

Copying and Pasting Layer Styles

For all other layers in your image (the Subtext layer, the Top Line layer, and the Pen layer), we want to add a drop shadow and apply the Bevel and Emboss option. You can open each layer’s Layer Style dialog box and do this manually. Or, you can make these changes in one layer, and then copy and paste them into other layers. Try the following to copy and paste blending options:

Right-click on the Subtext layer again. This time, select the Copy Layer Style option, as shown in figure below.

Select the Top Line layer. Right-click in this layer. From the right-click menu, select Paste Layer Style. The Drop Shadow and Bevel and Emboss blending options paste into this layer.

Select the Pen layer. As you did in the previous step, right-click in this layer. Select Paste Layer Style from the submenu. Again, the Drop Shadow and Bevel and Emboss blending options paste into this layer.